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Edmonton's Perfect Start Ended by Colorado, 10-8

from Press Release

The NLL's perfect season ended in the Mile High City as the
Colorado Mammoth (6-10) downed the
previously-unbeaten Edmonton Rush (14-1) by a score of
10-8 before a raucous crowd of 17,109 at Pepsi Center on
Friday night.

Assessed a major penalty in the final five minutes of the game,
the Mammoth defense held Edmonton to a lone goal en route to a
critical win in their fight for the third and final playoff spot in
the West Division.

“The guys knew it was a big game and they stepped
up,” interim coach Dan Stroup commented. “It was a
great team win tonight from Dillon [Ward] all the way up to the
offense.”

John Grant, Jr.'s five points (4+1) and Drew
Westervelt's six points (1+5) highlighted the Mammoth offense, while
rookie Ward finished the night with 42 saves.

The Mammoth's captain was exuberant after the game,
commending the team for sending the Denver crowd out on a high note
in their home finale.

“That was not only the biggest win of the season, but I
think in a few seasons,” Grant said. “We’ve let
this crowd down quite a bit, and to get a big win, a crucial
win…and to stop an undefeated streak at 14, there was a lot
on this on. We’re pretty proud right now.”

Rush general manager and head coach Derek Keenan also praised
Colorado in their win Friday, in a game where Edmonton tied the
game twice, but never led.

“They earned it,” he said. “They played really
hard and they came out strong early. They took it to us pretty
hard. We got back in it, but ultimately they were hungrier than we
were.”

Both teams were energetic up and down the floor in the opening
minutes before Cam Holding sparked a three goal run by Colorado.
Creighton Reid added onto the early Mammoth lead as well as Grant,
who recorded a hat trick in the first half. Down 6-2 in the
second frame, Cory Conway began a three-goal run for the Rush to
narrow the gap to a one-goal disadvantage before heading into the
locker room.

Curtis Knight tied the game for Edmonton just 58 seconds into
the third before Drew Westervelt broke the Mammoth scoring drought
seconds later. Holding tallied his second of the evening the
waning moments of the third to give the lead back to the Mammoth
8-7.

Colorado would tally two more before Westervelt was assessed a
major penalty with five-minutes left in the contest. Conway would
score one for the Rush on the power play chance, but the Mammoth
defense would hold strong until the final buzzer.

“They had them rattled throughout the game,” Grant
added. “What can you say, Dillon Ward was unbelievable. I
keep forgetting that guy is a rookie. That was one of the better
performances I’ve ever seen.”

The first-round pick rookie goalie, who at third
overall was the highest-drafted netminder in the NLL since the year
1999, was flattered at the notion, but all in all credited the
entire defense in securing their sixth win of 2014.

“That was probably one of our best games
defensively," Ward said. "We seemed to come together as a unit, we
seemed to frustrate them a lot on offense and we were dictating
what shots that they were going to take."

Ward finished the night with a .840 save percentage, playing the
full 60 minutes and facing 50 shots on goal.

“It’s just lacrosse," Ward said. "I’ve
been playing for almost 20 years now.”

Brodie MacDonald started for the Rush, a move Keenan commented was to give the young
netminder experience
before the postseason
begins, but did not return in the second half due to injury. He
registered 24 saves. Aaron Bold finished the game in place of
MacDonald, recording 12 saves on 16 shots.

The enormous crowd went home happy on "Fan Appreciation
Night" in Denver with their team still in the driver's seat for the
third and final playoff spot.

"The fans are amazing here," Ward said. "There’s nothing
like it anywhere else in the league. Their energy makes it so much
easier to play.”

Colorado will hit the road to wrap up the regular season.
Currently holding a game and a half lead over Vancouver for the
final playoff spot, the Mammoth will head to Minnesota next
weekend. Edmonton meanwhile will immediately head back to Alberta
to play bitter rival Calgary tomorrow night.